This past Saturday, the University of Chicago cross country team added more solid performances to its season in the Principia College Cowbell Classic—also known as Pre-Nationals—at the North Farm Cross Country Facility in Elsah, IL. Both the men’s and women’s teams competed well, placing eighth and 15th, respectively, in two fantastic races.
Fourth-year Khia Kurtenbach led the way for the Maroon women, achieving an impressive second-place finish out of 332 runners. Her lightning-quick speed resulted in a time of 21:22. The only competitor able to overcome that impressive time was Ithaca runner Taryn Cordani, who finished in 20:45. Adding to Kurtenbach’s impressive performance, fellow fourth-year Cassidy McPherson placed 42nd overall, the second-best finish for the Maroons. Close behind were fellow fourth-years Kelsey Dunn in 58th place and Claire Costelloe in 64th, second-years Claire Brockway in 68th, Maggie Boudreau in 69th, and Lucy Kenig-Ziesler closing the pack in 72nd. Every UChicago runner in the race finished in the Top 75. Top-ranked Johns Hopkins won the meet with 74 points.
The men’s team also performed well in this highly competitive meet. Out of the 38 schools competing in this meet, 14 out of the 25 teams in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association were present. The Maroons were led by first-year Ryan Cutter, who finished 31st out of 354 with a time of 25:48. Second-year Ralph Patejunas followed with a time of 26:24, finishing in 79th place. Next were third-year Jacob Gosselin in 94th place, first-year Jordan Olson in 105th, second-year Andrew Kates in 123rd, first-year Charles Gardner in 125th, and third-year Owen Melia in 161st. North Central College won the team race with 47 points. Isaac Garcia-Cassani, representing SUNY Geneseo, took first place overall with a time of 24:41.
Both the Maroon men’s and women’s teams will be competing this Saturday at the UAA Championships at NYU in New York, New York. The women’s race will start at 11 a.m. Eastern Time and the men’s race will begin at noon. Both teams are working their hardest to improve upon their previous meet. Please wish our runners well as they prepare for this important event.
